Lot 6: Karl Caspar 1879 - 1956 German oil on canvas Still life with Red Amaryllis

Karl Caspar 1879 - 1956 German oil on canvas Still life with Red Amaryllis
41 x 25 inches 104.1 x 63.5 centimeters Provenance:Acquired directly from the Artist by Hubert Schonger, circa 1940 - 1943, Germany By descent to the present Private Collection, British Columbia Maria Caspar-Filser and Karl Caspar grew up in an idyllic region of southern Germany; they lived next door to each other when they were young and ultimately married in 1907. The Caspars' body of work was considered to be Entartete Kunst (Degenerate Art) by the Nazi regime, who objected to the influence of Impressionist and Expressionist work on German artists. They banned virtually all modern art, and both artists were prohibited from purchasing art supplies or selling their work. However, the consignor's father, Mr. Schonger, unremittingly supported the couple by bringing them painting supplies and purchasing their artwork. He visited them in Brannenburg, Bavaria on a regular basis and often took his young daughter along with him. Both "Still Life with Red Amaryllis" and Lot 007 by Maria Caspar-Filser's "Still Life with Flowers" were acquired during World War II before 1943 and hung in the Schonger family home in Inning am Ammersee, Bavaria. Mr. Schonger was a filmmaker, and was committed to making a film about the Caspars' artwork and their struggles with the Nazi regime. Unfortunately, he was unable to fulfill his dream of making the film due to the turmoil following World War II in Germany. However, the paintings were his constant reminder of his special friendship with these extraordinary artists.